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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Chinook salmon returns biggest since 1930s ... New University of Oregon president eyes graduation rate ... Customers head to Chipotle as outlets reopen in Northwest ... Chinook salmon returns biggest since 1930s ... New University of Oregon president eyes graduation rate ... Customers head to Chipotle as outlets reopen in Northwest ... HIGHER EDUCATION New University of Oregon president eyes graduation rate By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Nov. 11, 2015 @ 3:43 pm Updated at 3:44 PM By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Nov. 11, 2015 @ 3:43 pm Updated at 3:44 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> PORTLAND — Helping students graduate on time is among the best ways to keep rising college costs in check and minimize the debt burden for students, University of Oregon President Michael Schill said Wednesday. Three months into his presidency, Schill said he'll seek to improve the Eugene university's graduation rate by 10 percentage points in the next five years. Only half of UO students currently graduate in four years, he said, and only 69 percent earn a degree within six years of enrolling. "This is the issue of our time with regard to higher education — timely graduation," Schill said in an interview with The Associated Press in Portland. He spoke a day after outlining his plans to improve graduation in his first major campus address. Students have protested tuition increases that amount to several hundred dollars, he said, but the cost pales in comparison to the thousands of dollars it would cost to take an additional year of classes. The university is spending $17 million on its efforts. The money comes from an increase in higher education funding that state lawmakers approved earlier this year. Schill said he'll hire an associate vice provost for student success, a position he's termed a "retention czar," along with more student advisers. The university also will grant more money in scholarships to students in danger of dropping out because of financial hardships and to hiring more faculty to help ensure students can get into the classes they need to graduate. The university also will roll out analytical software that's supposed to identify students at risk of dropping out based on the experiences of previous students. "I want everybody at the university to look at this as their responsibility and as one of the very top priorities," Schill said. Schill took over as president on July 1, becoming the university's fifth leader in five years. He said he aims to bring stability that's been missing. By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Nov. 11, 2015 @ 3:43 pm Updated at 3:44 PM » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501